Care home managers struck off after ‘shocking failures’

Two senior Gwent care home nurses have been struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after they were found guilty of “shocking failures” in the standard of care they were providing patients.

Manager of Grosvenor Nursing Home in Abertillery, Susan Reynolds, and deputy manager Heather Hayward, were found guilty of more than 20 counts of malpractice each and have been struck off, following a NMC hearing this week.

At the hearing in Cardiff, a panel chaired by Michael Cann, found that between 2002 and 2007 the pair were responsible for “a catalogue of wholesale failures towards extremely vulnerable patients.”

They further failed to implement proper care plans, failed to ensure one patient received sufficient nutrition despite warnings, and failed to ensure pressure wounds were treated.

Mr Cann said: “There has been shocking failures in standards of care to patients. The misconduct was not isolated, it occurred over a period of time. There is a real risk to patients.”

The panel approved an interim order for both nurses so they would not be able to practice within a maximum period of 18 months where they have a chance to appeal the decision.

He added that the two nurses had not “grasped the seriousness of their actions” in particular to Hayward who he said “showed no insight of genuine remorse.”

The home was one of several in the Gwent Police force area investigated under Operation Jasmine, the UK’s biggest inquiry into alleged abuse at six care homes in south Wales.

The Grosvenor care home is under new ownership after it was taken over in September 2011.